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Toronto council strips mayor of most powers

TORONTO (AP) - Toronto's City Council has voted to strip scandal-plagued Mayor Rob Ford of many of his powers after a heated debate where he knocked over a woman councilor.

The council voted overwhelming in a series of votes on Monday to cut his office budget by 60 percent and allow mayoral staff to join the deputy mayor. Ford now effectively has no legislative power as he would no longer chair the executive committee.

Ford retains his title and ability to represent Toronto at official functions.

Toronto has been abuzz with the Ford melodrama since May, when news outlets reported that he had been caught on video smoking crack cocaine.